The present invention relates to letters in general, i.e., to a combination of an envelope with one or more message-bearing sheet- or plate-like inserts which are receivable in the envelope for mailing or other mode of transport to the recipient whose name and address normally appear on the envelope. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in letters of the type wherein the insert is a so-called letter card, namely, a card which is made of relatively stiff material (as contrasted with regular-weight paper which is used for the writing of regular letters and especially with relatively thin or very thin paper which is often used in the envelopes of airmail letters).
Letter cards are customarily sent to friends, relatives, acquaintances, business associates, schoolmates and other parties on special occasions, such as on holidays, to express sympathy in the event of death or accident, to send a congratulatory message to newlyweds, successful graduates, parents of newly born children, persons celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, and for many other reasons including Valentine's day, St. Patrick's day, etc. The nature of letter cards can vary from a simple one-sheet card of negligible value to highly expensive and/or valuable multiple-panel cards which bear information in the form of messages or other representations such as multi-colored prints some of which are or can be classified as works of artists. The lettering may be simple or highly complex, and the message may include a proverb, a verse, excerpts from a literary work, expressions of love, affection, sympathy or admiration in language which is customary on mass-produced greeting and like cards, an image which is an original or a reproduction of the work of a famous or budding artist, and/or a combination of these.
A drawback of presently known letters which contain or which at one time contained letter cards is that the recipient cannot enjoy or is not likely to enjoy the letter card for a relatively long period of time. Thus, many recipients of cards will stash them away shortly after arrival and, if not discarded after a reasonably short period of time, the cards are condemned to relatively short or long existence in total or practically total obscurity, normally at the bottom of a drawer, in a file or in the attic. The reason is that practically all of the presently manufactured letter cards have a limited useful life, i.e., the inscriptions will fade with time, the colors of the images become dull, the color of the material of the card fades with time, the card cannot stand pronounced flexing or other stresses, the card can be damaged and/or destroyed on contact with water or other liquids, and the messages which are written in ink are particularly likely to become illegible after a relatively short period of storage, depending on the locus of storage and the climate. Moreover, a conventional letter card is not suited for exhibition, either by resting on a table top or an analogous support or by being suspended on a wall, door or the like. Therefore, and unless collected for special reasons, letter cards are normally discarded much more rapidly than regular or picture post cards because the post cards are often prized by stamp collectors.